‎Ghana Targets Global Competitiveness with Bold Push in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing ‎

Ghana’s government is advancing a comprehensive strategy to elevate the country’s pharmaceutical manufacturing sector, improve financing accessibility, and strengthen local production. This initiative, unveiled during the African Healthcare Manufacturing Trade Exhibition and Conference (AHMTEC 2025) in Accra, underscores Ghana’s ambition to become a major player in Africa’s health industry.

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‎Delivering a keynote on behalf of Vice-President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, Dr. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Policy Advisor on Political Affairs, said the government’s new industrial framework focuses on financial support, tax incentives, and technology transfer programmes to empower small and medium-scale pharmaceutical producers.

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Dr. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Policy Advisor on Political Affairs,

‎Prof. Opoku-Agyemang emphasized Ghana’s vision to transform its healthcare manufacturing landscape into a globally competitive hub, positioning the nation at the heart of Africa’s emerging pharmaceutical ecosystem.

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‎“Africa must take charge of its healthcare manufacturing agenda. We can no longer depend heavily on imported medicines,” she asserted.

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‎She further highlighted that achieving this transformation requires targeted investments in infrastructure, research, and skills development to raise quality and competitiveness across the sector.

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‎The AHMTEC 2025, organised by the Federation of African Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (FAPMA) in collaboration with Vizuri Health Dynamics, brought together over 200 delegates, 46 speakers, and 111 organisations from 26 countries. Ghanaian pharmaceutical companies and other industry players were among the key participants advancing the government’s “Agenda for Jobs” and the broader goal of building a West African pharmaceutical hub.

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‎According to Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, Africa currently produces less than 30% of its own medicines, calling this reality a “wake-up call demanding urgent action.”

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‎“It is both unsustainable and unjust for our continent’s health security to rely on external forces,” she said. “We must unite our capacities, leverage innovation, and build a self-reliant system that protects the well-being of our people.”

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‎Reaffirming the Mahama administration’s commitment, the Vice-President noted that government reforms are focused on re-engineering Ghana’s manufacturing base to promote value addition, industrial innovation, and regional integration within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework.

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‎“Our goal is to make Ghana the preferred destination for high-quality African pharmaceutical products , creating jobs, driving exports, and achieving self-sufficiency,” she concluded.

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‎Adding to the discussion, Abebe Genetu Bayih, Local Manufacturing Coordinator at the Africa CDC, acknowledged that while significant progress has been made in expanding vaccine and medical product manufacturing across Africa, market sustainability and limited government procurement still pose major challenges.

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Abebe Genetu Bayih, Local Manufacturing Coordinator at the Africa CDC

‎He urged policymakers and manufacturers to think creatively and implement robust strategies to make Africa-made products more competitive and to enhance intra-African trade.

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‎The government’s latest initiative aligns with Ghana’s long-term industrialization and self-reliance agenda, reinforcing the nation’s strategic role under AfCFTA, headquartered in Accra.

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